Indian American brothers attacked by zoo tiger sue city

New York, March 29 (IANS) Two Indian American brothers who were attacked by a tiger at a San Francisco zoo have filed claims against the city authorities alleging negligence and defamation. Amritpal Dhaliwal, 19, and his elder brother, Kulbir, 23, Thursday asked an unspecified amount in monetary compensation for “serious physical and emotional injuries”.

The bothers were injured on Dec 25 last year when the Siberian tiger named Tatiana somehow jumped the walls of its enclosure, attacked them and killed their friend and co-visitor, Carlos Sousa Jr,, before the police killed the beast.

Kulbir Dhaliwal suffered deep cuts and bite wounds on his body, and needed surgery to repair the damage to his knees, the claim documents said.

The walls of the tiger’s outdoor enclosure were later found to be lower than the recommended height by an accrediting agency for the US zoos.

The Dhaliwal brothers have alleged the city failed in its duty to provide a safe zoo environment and defamed the brothers by spreading falsehoods about their possible role in provoking the attack. They have also claimed that the zoo’s public relations consultant made them the target of “intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress”.

San Francisco police investigators had earlier considered seeking criminal charges against the Dhaliwals for taunting or agitating the tiger, but the department eventually decided against the move.

The city can offer the Dhaliwals a settlement within 45 days, failing which, they would have six months to file a civil lawsuit.